Prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status: the importance of a balanced intake of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid
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Mijna Hadders-Algra
Abstract
This review addresses the effect of prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) status on neurodevelopmental outcome. It focuses on the major LPCUFA doxosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6ω3) and arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4ω6). Due to enzymatic competition high DHA intake results in lower tissue levels of AA.
LCPUFA accumulation in the brain starts early and increases during the third trimester. Initially brain AA-accretion exceeds DHA-accretion; after term age DHA-accretion surpasses AA-accretion.
Animal studies indicated that early ω3-depletion results in poorer developmental outcome. They also showed that early ω3-supplementation had no effect on cognitive outcome, promotes visual development and impairs auditory and motor development. Only limited human data are available. Correlational studies suggest that neonatal AA status shows a positive relation with early neurodevelopmental outcome and that neonatal DHA status also might be correlated with improved outcome beyond infancy. Results of human intervention studies are equivocal: most studies were unable to demonstrate a positive effect of prenatal ω3-supplementation.
It is concluded that only limited evidence exists to support the notion that prenatal ω3-supplementation favours developmental outcome. Caution is warranted for an unbalanced high DHA intake during the first two trimesters of pregnancy, i.e., DHA without additional AA supplementation.
©2008 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York
Articles in the same Issue
- Prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status: the importance of a balanced intake of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid
- Population-based standardization (PBS) of institutional cesarean delivery rates
- Impact of high maternal hemoglobin at first antenatal visit on pregnancy outcomes: a cohort study
- Retrospective audit of outcome of regional anesthesia for delivery in women with thrombocytopenia
- The association between maternal characteristics and different types and levels of discordance in triplet pregnancies
- Obstetric gel shortens second stage of labor and prevents perineal trauma in nulliparous women: a randomized controlled trial on labor facilitation
- Fetal electrocardiographic monitoring during labor in relation to cord blood levels of the brain-injury marker protein S-100
- Nuchal cord in post-term pregnancy – relationship to suspected intrapartum fetal distress indicating operative intervention
- Risk assessment of trisomy 21 by maternal age and fetal nuchal translucency thickness in 7096 unselected pregnancies in Slovenia
- The association of hypotonia and depression in the term and near-term neonate with metabolic acidemia
- 17-Hydroxyprogesterone in premature infants as a marker of intrauterine stress
- Prenatal hypoxia preconditioning improves hypoxic ventilatory response and reduces mortality in neonatal rats
- Mortality and morbidity of neonates born at <26 weeks of gestation (1998–2003). A population-based study
- Conception without the development of a human being
- Intraplacental choriocarcinoma with fetomaternal hemorrhage: a case study and literature review
- Computerized FHR traces in post-term pregnancies
- Uterine activity monitoring during labor
- Congress Calendar
Articles in the same Issue
- Prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status: the importance of a balanced intake of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid
- Population-based standardization (PBS) of institutional cesarean delivery rates
- Impact of high maternal hemoglobin at first antenatal visit on pregnancy outcomes: a cohort study
- Retrospective audit of outcome of regional anesthesia for delivery in women with thrombocytopenia
- The association between maternal characteristics and different types and levels of discordance in triplet pregnancies
- Obstetric gel shortens second stage of labor and prevents perineal trauma in nulliparous women: a randomized controlled trial on labor facilitation
- Fetal electrocardiographic monitoring during labor in relation to cord blood levels of the brain-injury marker protein S-100
- Nuchal cord in post-term pregnancy – relationship to suspected intrapartum fetal distress indicating operative intervention
- Risk assessment of trisomy 21 by maternal age and fetal nuchal translucency thickness in 7096 unselected pregnancies in Slovenia
- The association of hypotonia and depression in the term and near-term neonate with metabolic acidemia
- 17-Hydroxyprogesterone in premature infants as a marker of intrauterine stress
- Prenatal hypoxia preconditioning improves hypoxic ventilatory response and reduces mortality in neonatal rats
- Mortality and morbidity of neonates born at <26 weeks of gestation (1998–2003). A population-based study
- Conception without the development of a human being
- Intraplacental choriocarcinoma with fetomaternal hemorrhage: a case study and literature review
- Computerized FHR traces in post-term pregnancies
- Uterine activity monitoring during labor
- Congress Calendar
